The meters honored on the official 2017 new Orleans Jazz & Heritage poster.

The Meters will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a special appearance at the 2017 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival, performing on Sunday, May 7.

The official poster for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell features a portrait of The Meters by artist Francis X. Pavy, who also created the Neville Brothers portrait of the 1997 Jazz Fest poster. –

Exclusive video interview with FBPO’s Jon LiebmanNovember 28, 2016

Lifetime Achievement recipient tells the story of the Meters, along with some great memories of those early days, growing up in New Orleans!

Hailing from New Orleans, LA, George Porter, Jr. is an in-demand bassist, session player and producer. He’s best known for his work in the popular funk band, the Meters, alongside Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli and Joe “Zigaboo” Modeliste.

In addition to his work with the Meters, Porter has also performed and/or recorded with a long list of internationally recognized artists, including Allen Toussaint, Paul McCartney, Patti LaBelle, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Tori Amos, Robbie Robertson, Warren Haynes, John Scofield, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and many others.

Today, George remains as busy as ever, performing regularly in several bands, including occasional reunions with the original Meters lineup, as well as the modern-day version of the band, now known as the Funky Meters.

FBPO’s Jon Liebman caught up with George at the 2016 gathering of Bass Player Live! in Hollywood, where Porter was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Bass Player magazine.

NOLA Bluedoo Run, october 1, 2016… please come out and show your support.

The NOLA Bluedoo Party/Walk/Run is a two-mile competitive race, held in conjunction with the New Orleans Track Club (NOTC), which takes walkers and runners on a tour across Tulane University’s beautiful Uptown campus. In fact, it is part of the NOTC’s 2016 Grand Prix Race Circuit. Proceeds from donations, sponsorships, auction/parade of prizes, and party passes benefit Dr. Oliver Sartor’s Prostate Cancer Research Fund at Tulane Cancer Center.

But you don’t have to walk or run in order to enjoy the event! Bluedoo is also a party – a celebration of prostate cancer survivor-ship for the whole family – with plenty of great food, New Orleans-style entertainment, costuming in blue (the color of prostate cancer awareness), a Kids’ Tent, a Survivor Tent, and more!

Get Your Blue On and Join Us…..

Tulane University Uptown Campus – 6823 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118Gibson Quad (behind Gibson Hall – the middle building on the horseshoe drive off of St. Charles Avenue facing Audubon Park)

Music Inside Out w/ Gwen Thompkins (WWNO Radio 89.9FM) features George Porter Jr.

Music Inside Out is a weekly radio program that celebrates the music and musicians of Louisiana and explores both their influences and their impact around the world. Host Gwen Thompkins is an enthusiastic believer in great music and you hear that, week after week.

On May 5th (Cinco de Mayo), the Eagle Saloon will present a very special evening of musical collaboration between George Porter, Jr. and Tank and the Bangas, including appearances by Quickie Mart, Big Sam, and other surprise guests.

Around the turn of the century, the Eagle Saloon was THE place to witness musical innovation, a hot and sweaty dance hall where Buddy Bolden took the music of his day and broke every rule, kicking off the Jazz Age and forever changing music in the process. Keeping this monumental history in mind, the mission of the Eagle Saloon Initiative is to promote music innovation, preserve NOLA culture, and educate and inspire young artists in a life-changing creative environment.

By pairing George Porter, Jr. – a New Orleans music master – with the young and groundbreaking Tank and the Bangas, we want to establish the Eagle Saloon as a new musical incubator that will transcend genre and inspire innovation.

This once-in-a-lifetime concert experience will be held in the parking lot at 411 S. Rampart St., directly next door to the Eagle Saloon. Admission is $20.00 and includes free drinks provided by New Belgium Beers and Lagunitas Brewing Company.

All proceeds will go directly to the stabilization and revitalization of the Eagle Saloon building at 401 S. Rampart St. In true pop-up fashion, tickets will be available only at the gates. For more information, please visit: http://www.bringbackeaglesaloon.com/

Second show added to 'The Last Waltz' 40th anniversary tribute at The Saenger TheatRE. Friday APril 29th & Saturday April 30th, 2016.

Blackbird Presents is proud to announce “Last Waltz New Orleans: A Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of The Last Waltz.” Set to take place Saturday, April 30th at New Orleans’ historic Saenger Theatre, the all-star event pays tribute to The Band’s milestone final concert through unprecedented performances from an extraordinary line up of artists including lead members of The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule, The Radiators, The Meters, Bonerama, and many more. “Last Waltz New Orleans: A Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of The Last Waltz” will also serve as a singular memorial to the late Allen Toussaint, showcasing the powerful horn charts the great New Orleans musician created for 1976’s original Last Waltz concert. For more information, please visit www.blackbirdpresents.com

My guest is Mr. George Porter Jr. George - best known for being the bassist for the “architects of funk” - The Meters, the funkiest band to ever come out of New Orleans and, for that matter, anywhere. His bass lines get under your skin and won’t let go. Along with Zigaboo Modeliste on drums, Art Neville on keys and Leo Nocentelli on guitar, The Meters invented a type of funk that has been widely copied (and sampled) for many years now.

In the interview I ask George about his influences, what he looks for in a drummer, trivial questions on various Meters folklore, why Paul McCartney said George was his favorite bass player, Allen Toussaint sessions, the proper way to play “Cissy Strut”, unison guitar/bass lines,etc…OH…and we play a lot of stuff together. Hope you enjoy.

One of the most influential bass players of our time, George Porter Jr. of the Meters teaches a few of his favorite lines and discusses life and music with David Ellenbogen. Full interview (this only the second half) at the podcast NYC Radio Live. http://www.nycradiolive.org/georgeporterjr/

Running pardners from the beginningwith no end in sight...

Performing the very first Runnin' Pardners (LP) in it's entirety, AND songs from the JoyRide (CD)

George Porter Jr. has been a pillar of funk for over 45 years, both in New Orleans and in a universal sense. His work with The Meters stands as the cornerstone of funk music,and he has been running hard with his project George Porter Jr. & The Runnin Pardners since 1990. George is pleased to announce the release of their new EP It's Time To Funk, just in time for Jazz Fest. It's Time To Funk is available in digital format at Leeway's Home Grown Music Network , and in New Orleans during Jazz Fest at the Louisiana Music Factory.

Over the past year and a half, George Porter Jr. has been collaborating with some amazing musician friends, and these four songs are only a taste of the 28 tracks he has written since his last release Can't Beat the Funk in 2011. It's Time To Funk pays tribute to his sentimental side, and it has some solid grooves to get you off your seat and onto your feet as well.